hewitt



R. H. HEWITT. MAIL POUCH PASTENER.

No. 251,361. Patented Deo. 27,1881.

yUNrrED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.,A

RANDAL H. HEWIT'I, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MAIL-POUCH FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,361, dated December 27, 1881,

y Application fnea october 22, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, R. I'I. HEWITT, of Los `Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and 'ity in opening and closing, and great security when the mouth is closed and fastened; and with these ends in view my invention consists of a mail-pouch fastening consisting of a metallic plate adapted to extend nearly or quite across the mouth ofthe bag or pouch, provided with. three or more slots or openings for the passage Aof staples, and provided, further, with two longitudinally7 adjustable locking-rods, having their inner ends formed with eyes to receive a central staple, whereby all parts may be secured in position by a singlelock, as will be hereinafter and in detail explained.

My invention further consists in the details of construction of the several parts, as will be hereinafter explained and speciticall y claimed; and my invention further consists in combining with the special mouth-fastening device a tag-receiver secured to one of the longitudinally-movable rods, and formed with an eye adapted to pass over the central staple for the purpose of being secured in place by the lock, as will be hereinafter set forth.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure lis aperspective view ofa mail-pouch provided with my improved fastening device, and in a closed condition; Fig. 2, a similar view with the fastening devices withdrawn and the mouth of the pouch opened. Fig. 3 is a front or plan view of the central portion of main plate and the inner ends of the fastening-rods, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the fasteningrods.

Similar letters indicate like parts in the several figures.

A is an ordinary mail-pouch, constructed of the usual material, with a ilap, B, adapted to overlie three or more staples, a b c, secured to either the back or front portion of the bag in the usual manner, suitable holes or slots being cut inthe Hap for the passage of the staples. C is a metallic plate, secured to the ilap B by any suitable number of rivets. This plate G is of about the design shown, with the central portion extended upwardly, as seen at D, and formed with a staple-slot, d. The wings of the pla-te have their upper edges and ends bent up at right angles, as shown at ef, the former to give strength and rigidity to the plate, and to serve as a guard or protector to the lockingrods, while the latter, by being perforated, as shown, serve as guides for the direction of the locking-rods in their longitudinal movement.

E is an elongated staple, secured near to the bottom edge of the central portion of the plate C, around which are bent the eyes g g, extended from the inner ends of the two locking-rods F. These rods are straight, and preferably round in cross-section, and their outer ends are adapted to pass into and through the staples a c, and their inner ends are attened out and formed into links or hasps G, designed to pass over the central staple, b. The connection between the eyes g g and the elongated staple E limits the backward movement of the rods F and prevents their entire withdrawal from their guideopenings in the endsfof the pla/te G. In this connection I have shown thestaples a c as located outside of the ends ff of the plate; but I do not intend to confine myself to this arrangement, as the staples a. c may be caused to pass through the plate C inside of the ends f, in which case I provide inside of the openings for such staples two guide rings or staples, secured to the plate (J, and the length and movement of the guide-rods in suchcase are so adjusted as to release the staples a c, and yet not be withdrawn from their guide rings or staples.

The locking-rods F, it will be observed, are, by reason of their formation and connections at their inner ends, capable of being turned over or oft' from the central staple, b, when in alignment therewith, the eyes g g and staple E operating as a hinge.

From the construction of parts described it will be seen that to close the pouch the ap B is turned over into the position shown at Fig. l, the staples a bic passing through their respective slots and the locking-rods being in IOO the position shown at Fig. 2. When the ap v is in position the rods F are pushed outwardly through the staples a c and turned upon their eyes g, so that their inner or hasp ends will pass over the central staple, b, the hasps lying one upon the other. A lock, H, is then passed through the central staple, b, and the mouth of the pouch is thus securely closed.

In order that a proper destination-tag may be applied to the bag, I provide a metal case, I, or flat box, which is secured to one of the rods F by rin g-eyes h It, so that it may be turned outward in the same manner as the lookingrods, and I form the inner end of the case I with a staple-slot, fi, so that it may be passed over the central staple, I), after the rods F are in position. This case I is preferably made of sheet metal, and the edges are turned'up and over at the two sides and front end, thus forming a flange to receive a paper-tag address, which is slid into position from the rear before the case is turned over the staple c, and after it is so turned it is obvious that the staple c serves as a stop or check to the accidental withdrawal of such tag-address.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with the flap B of a mailpouch, the plate C, secured thereto by rivets and provided with longitudinally movable locking-rods F, adapted to enter staples a c at the outer ends, and formed with links or hasps G at the inner ends adapted to overlie a staple, b, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The plate C, having its upper edge and ends turned up at right angles and the end portions perforated to serve as a protection and guide for the looking-bars, substantially as set forth.

3. The locking-bars F, having their inner ends formed with the hasps G and eyes g g, in combination with the plate C and elongated staple E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The locking device adapted to be secured to the ila-p B of a mail-pouch, consisting oi the plate C, formed as described, the locking-rods F, provided at their inner ends with hasp portions G G and eyesgg, and the elongated staple E, all combined and arranged to operate in the manner specified.

5. In combination with the rod F, the tag case or holder I, having a staple-slot, i, at its inner end and secured to rod F, so as to be capable of necessary longitudinal adjustment and outward rotary movement', by hooks or ringjoints h, and adapted on its front surface to receive and hold a sliding tag, substantially as hereinbefore set forth. l

RANDAL H. HEWITT.

Witnesses:

G. WILEY WELLS, BRADNER. W. LEE. 

